ENLIGHT joint courses

Urban Mining

The EU increasingly works with missions for the large societal goals we want to achieve. The Circular Economy Package consists of an EU Action Plan for the Circular Economy that establishes a concrete and ambitious programme of action, with measures covering the whole life cycle of products: from production and consumption to waste management and the market for secondary raw materials.

In this course we will use the ecosystem of the metropolis of Bordeaux within the region of New Aquitaine as an example and study first the key drivers for the transition to a circular economy: Why would we want to have Urban Mining? What is a Circular City? Subsequently, we will investigate interventions that can help in terms of in-use stocks, circularity metrics, life cycle thinking, sustainable development goals, etc.
Based on the drivers the goals will be set, looking at the technology solutions the overall approach will be developed. Hence, what remains at the end of the program is to integrate the legal, economic and societal aspects in one proposal for a circular city that actually reduces its wastes and reuses and recycles natural resources by urban mining.

About the course

Content

In this course we want to teach and develop jointly with the students the building blocks necessary to address a complex problem, that is the urban mining in the transition to a circular economy at city and regional level, and to provide a defined contribution.

  • The course consisting of lectures provided by international partners of the ENLIGHT network and external experts spanning key aspects related to urban mining and the transition to a circular economy
  • Students work together in teams to create a proposal including technological and financial solutions but also covering cultural, social, legal and economic considerations.
  • During one immersion week, students will work in teams to start the development of the case study.
  • Later: Knowledge enhanced by lectures, speed dating and working groups
  • At the end: Prepare a group and a personal report and make a final online presentation.

Learning outcomes

  • Apply insights from different academic disciplines on problems related to urban mining and the transition to a circular economy in the metropole of Bordeaux within the region of New Aquitaine;
  • Present a proposal to stakeholders invested in the transition within the urban mining and the transition to a circular economy;
  • Explain and discuss diverse technologies and interventions at multiple levels to improve performance from a sustainability perspective;
  • Explain and discuss legal, economic and societal drivers and bottlenecks towards urban mining and the transition to a circular economy;
  • Create a coherent proposal, including financing options, for a sector wide approach with an interdisciplinary and international team;
  • Reflect on personal action(s) at individual and/ or professional level with regard to a career perspective with a purpose.

Programme

The structure of the programme is as follows:

  • Introduction sessions online (first weeks of October): Weekly sessions for get together of groups and to introduce teaching methods, mission context, and the topic
  • Immersive week (17-21 Oct): Students will gather in person at the University of Bordeaux in teams to elaborate a case study on the metropole of Bordeaux within the region of New Aquitaine, this can focus on a material or product (electronic waste, construction waste, textiles…), a practice (reuse or product-service systems) or a geographic area (campus, city centre, industrial park…).

The case study is elaborated into an initial presentation, presented by the students to a panel including also societal actors who will provide feedback for further improvement.

  • Building blocks online (over a period of 6 weeks in November and early December): half technological and half societal building blocks will be introduced by lectures from different institutions of the ENLIGHT consortium and external experts covering multiple related topics proposed by the partner universities, including speed dating and working groups and elaboration of 3 deliverables by students
  • Final action (5-9 December): Delivery of a report and a final online presentation of the student teams, plus personal report and peer assessment

Assessment

Evaluation methods: Continuous assessment

Examination methods: Participation in immersion week and during teaching activities, peer assessment of presentation, report and oral examination

Possibilities of retake: Examination during the second examination period is possible in modified form

Extra information:

  • Check of participation in immersion week and during teaching activities
  • Oral presentation of case study
  • Request of paper with personal action(s) and self-assessment as part of report
  • Second examination opportunity: Thorough reworking of the case study or elaborating an individual case study

Calculation of examination marks:

  • 15 % Initial oral presentation of challenge and first investigation results
  • 15 % Three deliverables, one each 2nd week based on lectures, working groups and speed dating, in different formats such as video, presentation, poster, report, etc.
  • 5 % Peer assessment to evaluate the contribution of each student
  • 15 % Personal report of 2 pages, one with personal action(s) and one with reflection on course
  • 25 % Case study report of up to 10 pages, at least one page per student
  • 25 % Final oral presentation, giving in average 5 minutes to each students

Lecturers

Suggested thematics (examples) :

Materials characterization
Quality control and assurance
Ecodesign and design of materials for circularity
Sustainable management of critical raw materials
Life cycle assessment and industrial ecology
Waste treatment and management
Recycling technologies and collection systems
Economic geology and mining
Environmental and resource economics
Entrepreneurship and business planning
Innovation and change management
Circular business models
Environmental sociology
Environmental psychology
Environmental governance and policy
Artificial Intelligence
Spatial planning for a circular economy
Geographic information system

 

    Practical Details

    Courses – Focus area: Energy and Circular Economy
    Study Field: Science and Technology, Social Sciences
    Type: intensive programme
    Format: Blended
    Host: University of Bordeaux
    Course dates: Autumn 2022
    Additional course dates: Onsite week Bordeaux: 17 - 21 October 2022
    Apply by: Registration closed
    ECTS: 5
    Number of places available: 5 per ENLIGHT partner university.